Fresh Spring Rolls

Fresh Spring rolls are the most common starter in Vietnamese restaurants in Viet Nam. In Hanoi, there is an area aroung Truc Bach Lake which just sells rolls called Pho cuon. In response to requests from Vietgod readers, I am going to give you a recipe of this particular fresh spring roll and the its story.

The following information and recipe is from Seasons of Hanoi, one of the restaurants in my group.

The Nguyen dynasty came to power in Hue in 1802. What followed was a highly controversial period of rule as well as highly decedent lifestyles. King Tu Duc was reported to call upon over 30 chefs to accompany him to the Royal tombs. The chefs practiced a style of cooking that placed great importance upon delicately crafted, ornamental dishes. Hue is still famed for this style of food and uses rice paper to wrap light food parcel.

Serves 4
150 grams of pork shoulder
8 medium sized raw shrimps
½ Lettuce
½ Cup of bean sprouts
100 grams of fresh rice vermicelli
1/3 cup of fresh mint leaves
1 carrot
Coriander to garnish

Cook the pork and prawns in boiling salted water. Slice the pork into thin strips and the prawns in half length ways.
Take a piece of rice paper and place on a damp towel. Coat the rice paper with hot water using the fingers as a brush.
Place three half prawns, and three thin slices of pork across the central section of the rice paper approximately 1/3 of the way from the bottle. Add a small amount of blanched bean sprout, grated carrot, fresh vermicelli, lettuce and mint leaves and rolls the parcel. The mix of ingredients should be uniformly dispersed and spread over 8- 10 CMS. Folding in the rice paper and to the side of the ingredients as you roll up the parcels.

Dipping sauce: Lemon: squeeze for juice. Put fish sauce, sugar, lemon juice, garlic chili in a large mixing bowl; put 2 spoon of fresh water in then stir well.

It is important to apply a little pressure as you roll to ensure that the roll is firm & tight.

Hope you guys enjoy this dish yourself at home and get back to me.